The French photography blog Focus Numérique has an interesting interview with Dr. Andreas Kaufman, owner of Leica.
Takeaways:
- Asians see colors slightly differently than Europeans [say what!?!!] and so some sensors are not calibrated the same way in Europe as in Asia.
- Leica M has a waiting list of one year. Still waiting for his own. Prefers to travel light with the X2.
- Opened a new factory in Portugal in March 2013 and the new plant in Germany will be completed by the end of the year.
- Research: perhaps add archiving info on each picture, aside from date [Metadata?]
- Still mulling over the addition of video.
- “We have a lot of very interesting products in the pipeline.“
- Leica will not make a DSLR. Not only is it a money-losing proposition but “today we have mirrorless technology that can do everything a DSLR can do.“
- “Mini M” was a marketing fiasco. The X Vario is an X-series not an M-series.
- High praise for the Sony RX1: “We believe that Sony has really made a technological leap with the RX1.“
- No full-format X-series since Leica would have to manufacture its own sensor (as it did for the M), whereas APS-C sensors are readily available.
- The turnaround of digital cameras is too fast in Japan and, as a result, they cannot make a reasonable profit.
- High praise for Fujifilm “because they had the good idea to copy us.“
- A put down toward Asian manufacturing: “most devices are built in Vietnam and the Philippines and the final quality is not excellent.“
Anyway, if your French is good, read the article at: Focus Numérique. [Or, read the Google translation.]
